Our Sons Will Not Be Warlords
by evenhisfacewasanalias
Summary: Nux discovers an orphaned baby out in the wastelands, but he will not have to take care of it alone. Post-movie.
1. Chapter 1

Miles of sand and burning heat stretch out before him, light bending around the dunes and giving the illusion of water that's shining just out of reach. Nux hasn't been fooled by this apparition since he was a pup, but at least it breaks up the monotony of patrolling the wastelands. He wonders if he will eventually go as mad as The Fool out here.

Toast once told him the man's name was Max, but it is only Furiosa who calls him name, on the rare occasions she speaks of anything that came before. It is the threat of the Imperator's ire that has stopped Nux from simply calling him Blood Bag, but he figures 'The Fool' is an apt enough name for a man who dared to go up against Immortan Joe and his army of War Boys. Nux supposes that makes him a fool as well, and his grin turns a little manic at the thought. A mad fool.

But Furiosa has been true to her word - she has brought them all to the Green Place. In the months since assuming authority over the Citadel, she and the former wives have transformed the dunes into something living once again. The freely flowing water has cleansed the land of poison, and the seeds of the Vuvalini have begun to take root there. But while the inhabitants of the land thrive, the Citadel is still weakened by the loss of so many warriors, and there are still those who wish to capture land for themselves. Mere War Pups maintain their defenses within the city, while the more seasoned among them patrol the borders.

Which is why Nux is out here alone, driving aimlessly through the wastelands for days on end, his mind unraveling in the face of so much silence. He misses the doof warrior and the wailing of his burning guitar, the beat of the drums. And he misses having a brother along for the ride, each feeding off the energy and fury of the other. The other boys have not yet forgiven him for killing their living god and so many of their own, for closing the gates of Valhalla to them all, but a half-life is not long enough to hold a true grudge.

His thoughts turn to Capable, her refusal to accept that his blood is poison. Each time he returns to the city she feeds him some new and horrible concoction of green things that she is certain will cure him, and he is certain he will just retch. He knows the truth, that he can never be cured. The poison in his veins, Larry and Barry choking him, were brought on by his own sins, and he will never atone. Never be welcome in Valhalla.

The sight of smoke in the distance draws him out of his brooding. At first it appears like another illusion, a trick his mind has played on him to keep him from going mad at the sight of more endless dunes. Perhaps he already is mad! But no, the smoke is real, and he guns it towards the source.

Glory be! He spots a single scavenger rig around the wreckage of another vehicle. He may not have a rider, but he has bullets enough to overtake a single car by himself. At last, something worth traveling through this godforsaken desert! And such a lovely day for it! He floors the accelerator, leaning out the window as far as he can manage with his foot still on the gas to take aim at the first of the twitchy scavengers he spots.

"And there shall be a reckoning! Witness me!" His words are mostly lost to the wind whipping past but his bullets reach their mark. A tally in Nux's favor.

As their comrade falls to Nux's shots, the other two scavengers are quick to return fire. Nux is forced back in the car, several shots cracking his windshield and a few lodging themselves in the seat beside him. He knows he is being reckless, but it's been ages since he's ridden down Fury Road, and he will not be denied! His blood roars in his ears as he prepares himself for a firefight, but just as quickly as it all began the shots coming from the vultures cease. The remaining scavengers are back in their rig, racing away.

"Cowards!" He yells at the dust in their wake. Scavengers don't put up much of fight if there's nothing material to be gained, they don't appreciate the glory of a battle hard won. Nux considers chasing after them but he knows the victory will not be worth the waste of guzzoline. He resigns himself to picking over what's left of the carcass they fled.

Stepping out of his rig, he can't recognize the wrecked car as coming from any of the nearby towns. Smoke still rises from where the engine once sat, the scavengers having already stripped the vehicle of its choicest parts. He rips off the rusty hood ornament out of spite, but then decides to pocket it, thinking to himself that maybe he can shine it right up all chrome. He moves over to look into the cabin, finding the driver with a bullet in the head and hands still gripping the wheel. A woman. An uncommon sight this far out. And alone? Maybe not, Nux hears small sounds coming from the backseat. He can't see anyone else in the car through the dusty windows so he yanks the rusty door open to discover the source of the noise.

He finds it buried under a threadbare jacket. Not a person, at least not a whole one. Something much smaller than a person. A sprog? He's never actually seen one before, and this thing is smaller than even the youngest of the War Pups. It's also screaming now. Nux grabs the tiny thing up to figure out what's wrong with it, and the sprog quiets down almost immediately. It doesn't seem to be hurt in any way, healthy in a way that few are, other than being abandoned here in the desert heat. Nux sets it back down, and the ear-splitting cries resume immediately, making him think he's actually discovered a banshee child and not a human one. He picks it up again to see if he's somehow hurt the squishy little bugger with his own carelessness, but the baby quiets again in his grasp, content.

Nux pulls the tiny Banshee closer to him to a careful hand over its face, still wet with tears. Nux had once thought of the wives as soft, shiny things, but he is a witness to their strength. This sprog, however, is nothing but softness. He's almost afraid to touch something so fragile, so breakable, but it's making happy gurgles as he draws his fingers across its features. A tiny mouth catches hold of his middle finger and begins suckling on it, startling Nux a bit. He pulls his finger out of it's mouth quickly, reminded of Capable's warnings about dirty hands, though he can't even seem to remember what's so bad about them. He tries wiping his hands against the fabric of his pants, but they only come back worse. He reaches for the canteen at his waist to tip a small stream of water over his hand, judging it adequate. He looks back down at the baby, wondering if it needs water too out here in the hot sands. Where was the woman even trying to take it? They're close to the Citadel now, but he isn't sure what direction they may have been traveling before the scavengers reached them. It's pointless to try and guess. He tries offering the baby some water, but it simply stares back at him with wide eyes.

"Helpless" he scoffs, but tips his canteen gently into the baby's mouth. The drink is immediately spit back up as the baby starts coughing. Too much. He dips his clean finger in the canteen, and tries to drip a little water into the waiting mouth, finding his finger once again being nursed. He repeats the process several times and finds the sensation a little odd but not entirely unpleasant. He begins to smile at the little sprog without fully intending to. He realizes he can't just leave it here; even a full grown warrior won't survive for long out in the waste. So he wraps it up in the abandoned jacket, and tears off the still functional side mirror of the woman's car to bring along with him, and heads back to his rig. Attempts to secure the baby in the passenger seat just brings more tears, so he finds himself with Banshee seated in his lap, driving more slowly than he can bear towards the Citadel.


	2. Chapter 2

Imperator Furiosa marvels at Nux's ability to still take her by surprise, an uncommon trait in the many men she's known over the years. His willingness to help free a band of slaves he barely knows, his sacrifice for their safety, and even his seeming return from death cannot prepare her for the sight of Nux returning to the Citadel with an infant in his arms. She forces him to repeat his wild explanation several times, before finally sending him off to the Mothers.

The fleshy women are immediately drawn to the unfamiliar baby Nux carries with him, such a healthy creature is rare to them. One of the women signals him over and reaches out thick arms to take the bundle from him. But no sooner is the baby handed over but it immediately starts whimpering, propelling Nux to snatch it right back.

"He needs milk, and I don't think you have any to offer." She reminds him of the purpose in coming to them, and the other women laugh at his response. It does not feel entirely kind. But he grunts in acknowledgement that she speaks truly. He tries to hand the child over again but it is simply a repeat of the first attempt. None too happily, he finds himself in the awkward position of holding the baby to her breast as it nurses.

"What's his name?" The woman in front of him finally asks after a long silence. He hasn't bothered to ask for her name.

"Banshee." He shrugs.

"I thought banshees were all girls." The woman to their left taunts him.

"It's not a girl?" They all laugh again, still condescending but somehow less callous. They are making fun of him. Nux supposes he really had no idea either way, but Banshee's so small, much to small to imagine growing into a man. How was he supposed to know? But Banshee seems to be finishing his meal, and Nux is thankful for the chance to escape.

"He'll need to come back to feed in a couple hours, but you should probably get him cleaned up first." The baby looks clean enough, but a quick sniffs reveals her meaning. The women have one last chuckle at the scrunched look on his face before showing him what to do.

* * *

After Banshee is fed and changed, Nux is unsure what to do next. He thought about asking the Mothers before he left, but he wasn't fond of their mocking. He hates feeling so stupid and useless. He considers going back to Furiosa, but she is a fellow warrior, not a mother. And with the entire Citadel in her care, she had much bigger concerns.

Without a better plan, Nux decides to take the boy down to where the War Pups train. That's what he'll be now, a War Boy, like him. He's not sure why his chest tightens uncomfortably at the thought.

He's halfway there when he runs into Toast and Capable alongside a younger War Boy he doesn't recognize. He tries to hide the small thrill that hits him each time he sees Capable again - it wouldn't do to appear weak in front of another of the Boys. He fails. But all are too distracted by Banshee in his arms.

"What's that?" The other War Boy cocks his head, as confused as Nux was initially at the sight of an infant.

"Nux did you take someone's baby?" Toast accuses, her lips twitching to hide her amusement.

"He's so sweet-looking, where did you come from?" Capable moves closer to look at the boy as she asks.

"Can't talk yet. Not sure where he's from. I'm taking him down with the other Pups." Capable is near enough to touch, and he's torn between looking at Banshee and watching her.

"Nux, you can't!" Seeing his confused expression, Capable tries to explain. "It's not safe for him there, he's too small. Here, come with me." She places a gentle hand on his shoulder to lead him away, nodding at Toast to finish their errand without her. He wouldn't dream of disobeying.

* * *

There's a nursery inside the Vault. Nux supposes it makes sense, but he tries not to think about it too hard, about his own role in the loss of their sister and her child. He focuses on the room in front of him. Everything in it is soft and tiny, like the boy is. Capable shows him the small bed where Banshee can sleep.

"Can't put him down."

"What?"

Nux thinks the easiest thing is to show her. He sets the boy down in the crib and Banshee immediately lives up to his name. He looks over to her with a gesture that says "see?" before picking him back up.

"What if someone else holds him?"

"Still cries."

"Have you just been carrying him around all day?"

"Not all day. I just had to keep a hand on him while he had Mother's milk."

This gives Capable an idea. She reaches over to run one hand over the boy's head, while the other slips around Nux's back, with Banshee cradled between them.

"What are you…"

"Shhh…"

Capable continues stroking the baby's head, the hand on Nux's back making similar small movements. His skin buzzes everywhere it meets her's, but he doesn't protest. She holds them together like this for a long while before gently slipping her arms underneath his own.

"Now let go, but stay close by." She whispers, reluctant to break this quiet moment. He does at she asks, and is surprised to see that Banshee doesn't immediately start crying. The tears still come after a few moments, but no screaming. A hand on his head quiets him again.

"He just needs to get used to other people, is all." She coos down at the baby. Nux frowns at the thought. He knows he cannot expect to carry Banshee around all day and still be useful, still protect the Citadel, but he hates the idea of handing him over to The Mothers or to anyone else. But then Capable finally manages to get a happy gurgle out of the boy and Nux finds he doesn't mind so much when it's her.

"Can he stay here?"

"Of course he can, though we'll need to move some things so we can set up a bunk for you."

"Me?"

"You'll stay with him too. He's yours now, isn't he?" And for the first moment, Nux realizes that he is.

* * *

Nux is relieved of his patrol duties and is sent to work with the Repair Boys, and occasionally train up the War Boys. While he works in the shop, Capable and her sisters take turns watching Banshee, though sometimes he is left with the Mothers. Nux is getting used to the Mothers, and they've become less condescending to him, but he still rigs up a rubber bottle so he can feed Banshee without their help. Banshee still insists on being touched and held constantly, and he never leaves Nux's arms outside of work. A bunk has yet to be placed in the nursery and Nux spends most nights falling asleep with Banshee in a chair, or sleeping on the floor with a hand through the bars of Banshee's cradle.

Sometimes Capable sits with them in the evenings, telling stories as Banshee drifts off to sleep. Every so often, she'll come in to find them playing games, and even joins them. Capable has discovered that Banshee is incredibly ticklish, and so is Nux. It thrills her to conquer such a powerful man with just a light brush of her fingers down his exposed sides. With Banshee in his arms he is defenseless against her, but the little boy just giggles alongside him, thoroughly enjoying the game.

Sometimes Nux brings back a small piece of an engine, or even an insect or lizard to show to him, explaining each item and what it does. Dag and Cheedo take Banshee down to the greenhouse a lot, or bring small flowers up to him. It takes Dag a while to actually come into the nursery with them, and Nux thinks she still a little nervous around him, but he notices the sad way she sometimes looks at the boy, and understands that she has lost her own little one. He holds Banshee more tightly at the thought, as he clumsily grasps at the delicate purple flower she has brought him. Banshee's wide blue eyes seem to take everything in, and his wonder at all the green growing things the girls have cultivated mirror's Nux's own.

* * *

Tonight Nux is a gooey mess when Capable finds him. Banshee has taken to grabbing at his face and smearing war paint, which Nux tries to explain to him by painting a line across his cheeks with the green paste that now makes up his dinner. Banshee giggles and tries to do the same to Nux, but it mostly ends up everywhere. Capable laughs at both of them, and takes Banshee into her arms so Nux can clean up. He returns with a face free of food to settle down to eat his dinner while Banshee sleeps in Capable's lap. When he is finished, Capable produces a small purplish sphere with bumps all along its surface and offers it to him. He takes accepts the gift looks at her questioningly.

"It's for you to eat." She encourages. "Go on and try it."

It doesn't look like any food he's ever seen, but he bites into it and finds it soft and sweet and wonderful. He's never tasted anything like it before, and he looks back at her in surprise.

"Dag managed to grow it in the greenhouse, though there aren't many yet."

"Will there be more?" He looks at her with so much hope and excitement she almost giggles.

"Yes, but it'll take a little while." He tries not to be disappointed.

Afterwards, Capable hands him a cup full of pungent herbs. He considers refusing it, but he knows he'll drink it as he has all of her other 'cures'. Apart from the taste, they're mostly harmless, ignoring the day he was forced to go about his duties with a painful swelling in his pants, unable to confess the effect her treatment had on him. He wishes he had some of the purple food left to make it easier to swallow.

He takes the cup from her and gulps it down as fast as he can, trying his best to ignore the sharp taste of it, knowing it won't do him much good. But he can't deny her this small hope, or her need to try and save him. He thinks of her, and of Banshee, and he lets himself wish for at least a few more years with them.


	3. Chapter 3

After nearly a month in the Citadel, Banshee is finally sleeping peacefully on his own. He still begs with grabby hands and gurgles to be picked up upon waking, and Nux is helpless to resist him. He sometimes misses the constant presence of Banshee in his arms, but he also appreciates the ability to sleep in an actual bed. The nursery is even more cramped with the addition of his bunk, but Nux refuses to stay anywhere else. In a short time the Vault has already begun to feel like home. The Dag has even taken to calling Nux her 'brother'. Toast teases that they do look alike, with their pale skin and bright blue eyes. Nux sometimes believes that it's real, this family, and he forgets anything that came before.

He does remember driving though. He misses it sometimes, though never enough to risk it with Banshee in his care. But he is no longer the same boy that screamed whenever anyone but Nux held him, and he can now rest easily on his own for short stretches. He's never without a guardian, but Nux feels safe to resume a few of his duties. Even if it means leaving the Citadel for the first time since Banshee came into their lives. Furiosa has asked him to take part in the trade convoy to Gas Town, and though he is reluctant to be so far away, he can't resist getting back behind the wheel. He fixes up his old rig with the scavenged side mirror and even cleans up the hood ornament, which turns out to be some kind of creature with wings. He doesn't know what it is, but it shines up real nice.

* * *

The caravan to Gas Town goes a little better than the last trip in his memory. Well, maybe not better, just…quieter. Nux is grateful for this in a way he doesn't expect. He thinks back to the day he found Banshee, remembers nearly running after Scavengers just for a small taste of battle. It seems like a lifetime ago. His bloodlust has been tempered with something he can't quite name.

But driving. Driving is still glorious. The hum of his V8 engine, the miles that disappear in a blur behind him - his blood will always cry out for this. But Nux finds he now prefers the journey homeward.

Banshee is waiting for him in Capable's arm when he returns home, and the sight of them on the platform settles his nervous energy. He immediately slips his arms around Banshee, pressed against the softness of Capable and the boy together for several long moments, before finally stepping back to take him fully into his own arms. He can't quite remember why he ever left.

* * *

Nux has never spent much time in the greenhouse before, despite all of the time the sisters spend down there. Even Furiosa visits on occasion, to check Dag's progress with the desert crops and Capable's with the medicine the city needs. Nux is overwhelmed by the green that surrounds them, the moist air filling his lungs with a strange weight. Dag is thrilled to show her adopted brother around all they have accomplished, but Capable steals him away to a smaller wall of plants to explain their uses.

She runs her fingers over a small flower, bringing it back to show the fine coating of yellow pollen. She tells him it helps to reduce the pain and fever that comes with sickness. He then learns that several of the Citadel's kids have taken ill.

"Right now all we can do is put a paste of this on their chest and forehead and wait for the grey spots to disappear."

"What happens if they don't?"

"A few of the younger ones have gone lame, maybe permanently. But those that were too sick, they…" Nux doesn't push her to continue, hates to see her look so helpless. Capable wants to save everyone, save him, but Nux has seen to much death and destruction to hope for much better. Instead he asks her about the other plants in her care, and distracts her from her heavy burden for a short while.

* * *

Capable has begun spending more and more time down in the greenhouse, and so it surprises him to find her and Cheedo both hovering near Banshee's crib when he returns from repairing the tower's platform. He grins at the sight of her after so many days apart, until he sees the look on her face. He rushes over to the boy, but he already knows what he will find. The small grey spots have already started to cover Banshee's small limbs, and it hadn't been more than a few hours since he last had checked on him. He touches the fevered skin and looks up at Capable with dread.

"I've put the pollen on his chest and head but he's still warm. Sometimes it takes a while, but I don't know, he's so small…" Nux is shaking as he grips the side of Banshee's crib. He wishes he had something he could destroy, something to fight. Nux is strong, he can face any enemy in battle. But he is useless in the face of this.

"Can't you…maybe if you used more? Will it hurt him?"

"I'm not sure, we've never had enough to try before. But it wouldn't take much for him."

Nux doesn't look up from where Banshee sleeps fitfully before them, but she hears the quietly uttered 'please'. With one last look at the two of them she rushes back down to the greenhouse.

* * *

Banshee's entire body is covered in a poultice of pollen and cool, damp cloths to lower his fever. Nux remains waking by his side, wishing to hold him but not wanting to cause him any more discomfort. Capable leaves only for food and more medicine, Cheedo and Toast taking over care of the other children. She half-heartedly tries to get Nux to rest, but knows that she will not be able to find sleep either. They simply watch for any signs that the boy's condition has changed, Nux gripping her hand tighter each time he appears to be feeling worse.

It is 3 days before the fever finally breaks. Nux has never felt such relief, though Capable remembers the fateful day they discovered he had survived the crash. They finally dare to hold him again, and Nux has to be careful not to hold him as tightly as he wishes he could. They allow themselves to rest in brief shifts of only a few minutes, but eventually the spots begin to fade and it is clear that Banshee has made a full recovery.

Between Nux and the sisters, Banshee spends the next few days much like his first - never leaving the arms of any of his caretakers. Even Furiosa has her turn holding him. It's not often that she spends much time with the baby, but now willingly takes him in her organic arm, welcoming Banshee as a member of their hard-won family.


	4. Chapter 4

Banshee has been stolen away by a giggling Cheedo and Dag, who give only the flimsiest of excuses before rushing off. Capable brushes off his concern for the boy and asks him to come with her. She leads him by the hand down to the sands below, taking him through where the land has started to yield to rows of green. He's seen the sight before, from a distance, but now he stops to examine the living things that recaptured this land of its former desolation. Capable gently tugs him forward, leading him further and further through the rivers of green to their source. The water still pours from the tower atop the Citadel, and has been routed out to where the Wretched, now the Farmers he supposes, tend the crops. The sun blazes overhead, and few dare to be out in the midday heat, so Capable and Nux are nearly alone as they approach the waterfall ahead.

As they get closer the air loses some of its searing heat, and Nux basks in the feel of the cool spray of water against his overheated skin. Behind the falls, she leads him over slick rocks to where a small pool of water has collected, hidden from view.

"How did you…?" Nux questions.

"I didn't find it, Furiosa did. She wanted to make sure the water got to where it was needed, and I don't think she'll leave this place alone for long. So we should enjoy it while we can."

Nux seats himself where he can watch the cool liquid flowing down, and trickling into the pool, still unused to the sight of so much water. But Capable remains standing and begins taking off her shoes, before working on her belt. Nux's head jerks up at the sight.

Capably continues pulling off each layer before him, seemingly unconcerned by his presence. Nux finds he can't look away as she peels off her top, revealing her bare chest to his curious eyes.

"Well?" She's only covered by the wrappings around her lower half now, but she has a hand on her hip and that look of fond exasperation she gets whenever he misses something that seems so obvious.

"What?" It's as clever a response as he can manage right now with all that glorious bare skin distracting him.

"Aren't you going to join me? Or do you plan to go in with your boots still on?" She's peeling away the final layer of clothing so it takes him a moment to catch up. But when he does he rushes to clumsily remove his boots and pants as she slides into the water before him. His eyes follow her as her lovely body is swallowed up by the rippling pool, and she glances over her shoulder at him as he finally stumbles in behind her.

Praise be but the feel of the cool water enveloping him is almost as nice as the sight of Capable within it. Water is no longer so restricted as it once was, but to immerse himself so completely in it seems almost sinful. He can't resist dipping under, remaining submerged until his burning lungs force him back to the surface.

Capable tries not to stare at the pale pink of him where the war paint suddenly stops beneath his waist. She supposes it would have been stranger if his whole body had been covered, but she is unused to seeing the skin underneath. He still wears it to appear more fearsome before the other War Boys, and tends to forget he's wearing it otherwise. Banshee has never seemed fearful of his skeletal mask, so she figures she has little reason to complain. But as the water washes away the layers of white and black, she lets herself enjoy the sight of his real face beneath. She has had occasional glimpses of it since that first night in the lookout chassis, but it never ceases to take her by surprise. He looks much younger, much softer. And beautiful. She can admit that Nux has always been handsome, even in his warpaint, but so few have seen the face underneath that she treasures the sight of it even more. It's a face she thinks she'd like to kiss.

Nux is once again uncertain what he is supposed to be doing as Capable glides nearer to him. The water has covered her so that only the tops of her breasts are visible above the surface, the rest of her body hidden by the swirling waters. He is still crouched from bobbing up and down within the pool, and his eyes are nearly level with her own as she approaches. She is watching his face intently and so he smiles at her, hoping to convey in some small way his gratitude for what she has shared with him today. He can't find the words to even begin express his appreciation for this gift. But her eyes cast down to his lips, and he hopes she understands.

Capable loves each of Nux's rare smiles (though they become more common with each day) - even the sheepish smile that means he's done something foolish and the wild grin that means he *will* do something foolish. But this one is her favorite, the one that she's only ever seen aimed at her. It is joyful and reverent and it makes her feel like the goddess he's convinced she is. She hopes that her own look conveys how he means to her in return. A few more inches put her near enough to feel his breath on her face, and she searches it for any sign that this might be too much. His breathing has quickened at her closeness, but he moves slightly towards her rather than pulling away. She closes the final inch between them to place a gentle kiss on his mouth, barely more than a touch of her lips to his. She is surprised at their softness, and grins a little at this unexpected delight. She remains there for a few moments, peeking out to find that Nux hasn't even closed his own eyes. Slowly she begins to move her lips against his, and catches his eyes fluttering shut at the sensation. She is feeling a bit overwhelmed herself.

Nux had not known what to expect when Capable led him down here, but trusts her in this as he has in all things. He certainly hadn't anticipated enjoying the soft feel of Capable pressed again him, her lips teasing his. Valhalla may be closed to him now, but he finds it doesn't matter to him anymore. What Joe had promised them can't compare to this, to Capable real and right in front of him. When she finally pulls away they're both still smiling, and she seems as reluctant as he is to lose this closeness. They remain near to one another as they continue drifting through the pool, until they are finally forced out by wrinkled fingers and thoughts of Banshee.

* * *

"Da!"

Nux looks down at the boy in the crib who is now waving his arms wildly and repeating the word over and over, and then up at Capable with panic in his eyes.

"Is he calling for his Dad? But he doesn't have one, how can I…?" Nux suspects the murdered woman he found with Banshee was his mother, and for all he knows the father is dead as well.

"Nux, of course he has one - you're his Dad," she smiles fondly at Nux's hysterics, which still occasionally appear whenever Banshee discovers some new trick. Crawling had been a rather trying ordeal for everyone involved.

"I'm his…Dad? But I didn't…" Nux has never even…but he finally understands. "He's mine?"

"He's yours," He's beaming now, and she can't help but feel a little of the same.

"And he's yours too? Yes?"

"If you want him to be, I mean if you don't mind sharing him," she teases, thinking back to how reluctant he had once been to leave Banshee with anyone else.

"Yes, yes, I want…I want him to be ours." Nux likes the idea that Capable is Banshee's mother, the mother of his son. His son. Nux never thought he'd have this, something so soft and perfect and chrome. Never let himself want it. Now he can't imagine a life without either of them.


	5. Chapter 5

Imperator Furiosa had been expecting this day for a while - she was only surprised it had taken this long. For many months her authority has remained unchallenged by her former enemies. A few rogues may have challenged her city's defenses, but the other clans were all still licking their wounds, their new leadership wary of the woman who had executed their predecessors. So she had long been expecting a visit from the new leader of the Bullet Farm, if not his challenge.

"I demand the blood debt be paid!" Furiosa thinks to herself that Iron Jaw is not a particularly clever name for the giant of a man with steel plates articulated around his lower face. Sharp metal teeth have replaced the flesh that once was there, but to a woman with more than a few weapons hidden within her own prosthetic, the intended effect is lost.

"And just what debt do you think I owe you?"

"It was your War Boys who have killed the Wife of the Bullet Farmer, and her child, heir to the Bullet Farm. Parts of her vehicle were seen on one of you own rigs! Do you try to deny it?"

It takes Furiosa several moments to unravel these accusations, but she soon realizes what they mean.

"My Boys have killed none but those who threaten the Citadel, and certainly not the Wife of your predecessor." She is careful not to bring up the child. "It is no concern of mine how they ended up with scavenged parts.

"Do not lie to me! We have found her body and her raided car outside of your city, we know she was headed here when she was murdered! Where is the child? I demand the head of the Boy that has done this!" Iron Jaw has only become more enraged in the face of Furiousa's dismissal.

"Then she was attacked by one of those same villains who seek to steal our food and supplies, we are not in the habit of abducting women and children." The accusation in her voice is clear.

"Bring your War Boys forth! The ones with the silver eagle upon their hood. I will have them answer for themselves!" Furiosa considers whether simply refusing will do more harm than good. Denying Iron Jaw may make it seem like they have something to hide, while complying will hopefully be a sign of good faith that they wish to maintain peace. She also knows that no harm will come to him in this room, and so she calls him forth.

* * *

Nux isn't sure why Furiosa has asked for him when he knows she is meeting with the new leader of the Bullet Farm, but Toast takes Banshee from his arms as he is ushered into the room.

"Is this the boy?" A giant with shiny teeth demands, not actually addressing Nux.

"He is merely the boy with an eagle on his hood, I have brought him here to assure you of my word that none of my own have harmed the Wife of the Bullet Farmer or his child." It is Furiosa that responds.

"Where did you find that eagle, Boy?" He finally turns to Nux.

"You mean the hood ornament? I found it." He is starting to realize what this is about and feels a heavy weight settle into his stomach. He looks to Furiosa, unsure what to tell the man before him.

"And where did you find it?" He is clearly losing his patience.

"On a car. The Scavengers had already hit it, and I chased them off. The woman was dead when I found her." Nux can still picture very clearly his surprise at finding the dead woman behind the wheel, and curses himself for taking the stupid ornament that seems to be causing so much trouble now.

"And what about the child?"

Furiosa tries to convey with her glare that Nux should shut up at this point, but he misinterprets this look and tries to reassure the man before them. "I brought him back here, took care of him. I didn't harm no breeder or her sprog."

"Bring this child to me! He shall be returned to his rightful place."

"He's my son, his rightful place is with me!" Nux loses all instincts for self-preservation at the thought of handing over his boy.

"You dare to claim the son and rightful heir of a War Lord!"

Furiosa tries another tactic. "It appears to me this Boy has done you a favor, now your own sons will become the rightful heirs."

"My son is dying!" For a moment his fury is tempered by his grief. "Even if he survives, he will be crippled like the others. He will never lead." A silence briefly stretches out in the room.

"You have one day! Tomorrow we will meet in the sands, and you will bring me the child, as well as this Boy's head!" With that Iron Jaw departs, leaving Nux shaken and Furiosa resolute.


	6. Chapter 6

"You have one day! Tomorrow we will meet in the sands, and you will bring me the child, as well as this Boy's head!" With that Iron Jaw departs, leaving Nux shaken and Furiosa resolute.

* * *

"I will never hand you or your son over to that animal." Furiosa owes the Boy before her a great deal, and she will do all in her power to protect him.

Sensing her train of thought correctly this time, he resigns himself to his fate. He will not put everyone else, including his son, at risk. "I am not worth a war with the Bullet Farm, as long as my son is safe."

"Do you think I am a fool, Nux? None of us will be safe so long as Iron Jaw or anyone else thinks that we can be controlled by fear." Nux allows himself to feel a measure of relief, before he begins to steel himself for the battle ahead of them.

* * *

Nux has been left behind. Furiosa will not allow him to fight with a target painted on his back, and leaves out with the rest of the War Boys and his own rig (minus its hood ornament). Capable does her best to console him.

"Think of your son, you need to stay safe for his sake. His mother obviously intended to bring him here. And he wouldn't even be alive today if you hadn't rescued him."

"I barely did anything." Nux has already been through each of these arguments in his own head, and found fault in all of them. "You were the one that saved him. When he was sick. And now Iron Jaw's own son is sick and he wants to take Banshee from me."

"Do you know what's wrong with him?"

"He didn't say. Only said he'd end up crippled like the rest if he didn't just die." An idea begins to form in Capable's mind.

"Nux, I need you to get me out there, where they're meeting."

"Take you to the middle of a war? Are you crazy? It's not safe!"

"Nux, I'm going to need you to trust me."

* * *

The sun bearing over them is merciless as the two armies meet in the wasteland. Furiosa calls her War Boys to a halt as they face the Bullet Farm boys before them. It is obvious she is not here to give in to Iron Jaw's demands, but she waits to see whether he will really risk the warriors he has left over this. She will not risk her own until she is certain.

Several rigs on both sides rev their engines. But Furiosa has been around too long, survived too many battles, to waste any energy on these displays. The war rig at her command, reinforced with the remains of so many vehicles destroyed pursuing her, and her own reputation attest to her power more than the antics of mere Pups. For a while, it enough to keep the Bullet Farm warriors at bay.

* * *

The only vehicle left in the shop is one of the Vuvalini's motorcycles. Capable clings to Nux and the bundle she carries as they race towards the warriors ahead, praying that they are not too late. The wind is biting at her skin, but she only presses Nux to move faster.

They finally arrive to a standstill that has neared its end. Iron Jaw can find no other way to assure his own authority but to fight, and readies himself to give his Boys the order until he sees the War Boy in question ride out between them, another rider in tow.

"What the hell are you two doing out here? Nux, I told you to stay behind!" Furiosa shouts at their passing, as they move to stop in front of her truck.

"I see the Boy, but not the child." Iron Jaw demands from where he now stands in his rig.

"I have come to give you back your own son!" Capable finds the courage to shout back. Iron Jaw barks out an ugly laugh at her response.

"You wish to give me an heir, breeder?"

Capable forces down her anger at his words before replying. "I wish to save the son you already have. If he is affected by the same sickness that nearly took our own young ones, then I can help him."

"What sort of trick is this?"

"It is no trick," Furiosa assures, "we would have lost many of our own, including the child you claim, if not for this medicine."

"This will take away the fever, and the spots will disappear on their own with enough time. I have brought you enough to cure your son, and in exchange for Nux and the boy we willing to offer you enough for the entire town." Capable is visibly shaking but her voice remains strong, and she does not allow Nux to step out in front of her.

Iron Jaw is impressed by her courage, even if he thinks her actions foolish. But he considers the life of his own son, and the danger of harboring another's heir.

"And what if this so-called cure does not work?"

"It will work." Capable sees him beginning to consider this exchange, and it gives her power to face the War Lord's questions with unexpected boldness. Furiosa breathes a sigh of relief that they may put off this fight for another day.

But just as things are about to be settled between them, a Bullet Farm boy revs his engine and races towards where Nux and Capable stand, unwilling to give up the battle. Furiosa leaps back into her seat to stop them but Iron Jaw simply takes a shot as his own warrior and all watch as the car swerves to a stop.

"I accept your terms. And you will deliver on the rest of your promise by the end of tomorrow!" With that Capable steps forward, with Nux a step behind, to deliver the medicine along with instructions for what needs to be done. Furiosa gives her word that she will send the rest tomorrow, and no more will be said about it. A tentative peace is agreed upon.

With no more need for her courage Capable is shaking as Nux helps her back onto the motorcycle. She wraps her arms more tightly around him, feeling slight tremors from his own body. Nux once again finds he much prefers the journey back to Citadel. Back to his home, where the rest of his new family waits for him, safe once again.

* * *

 **Epilogue**

"What about Grendel, keeping with the mythical beast theme?" No one is quite sure how Toast came across her knowledge of so many old stories.

"Or maybe something nicer, like Fern." Toast is now glaring at Dag, but Cheedo chimes in before they can argue.

"What if it's a girl?"

"Then she'll be Angharad." Nux finally joins, bending down carefully to place a hand on Capable's round belly, mindful not to upset Banshee who is sitting on his shoulders. "She'll be Splendid."

"Then I hope it's a girl." Capable smiles up at him. He lets Banshee scramble off his shoulders and into his Mom's ever-shrinking lap. "How about you, Banshee? Would you like a little sister?"

Banshee just nods enthusiastically, looking a lot like his Dad with the gesture. Nux is still sometimes surprised that such a loud little sprog would turn into such a quiet kid, but apparently all that energy now goes into taking everything apart and putting it back together. Nux isn't sure whether he gets it from him or from his Mom. Capable has certainly put him all back together. He runs his hand over where Larry and Barry once gripped his throat, only their faded smiles still marking his skin.

He thinks about their future daughter (he's convinced it'll be a girl), how she'll look just like Capable and also a little like him. Banshee won't be a War Boy and she will never be some Warlord's Wife, and he'll teach them both how to drive and be free. He kneels beside Capable to whisper these promises to their children.

* * *

 **2nd Epilogue**

Furiosa almost doesn't recognize him when she sees him next. His hair is wilder that she remembers and a beard hides most of his face. But she knows his voice, the rare sound of it always seeming take him by surprise as much as it does to her.

"Yours?"

He's looking down at where tiny Angharad is held in her good arm. He looks lost, as he sometimes had before, during quiet moments on the road. He's never told her his story, what he's left behind, but she can guess at what he has lost.

"She's Capable's, and Nux's. The others are chasing after her brother." Banshee has taken to exploring the Citadel on his own, much to his parents' chagrin. Furiosa offered to watch the girl while everyone else searched for him. They never ask for her help, and in truth her duties do not allow her much time to spend with the family, but she admits she is fond of Angharad. She reminds Furiosa of her namesake, quiet and fearless. She does not cry out at the man's wild appearance, even as he stoops nearer to her. Angharad just lifts small arms to tug at his beard when he is within reach. Furiousa doesn't recall ever seeing him smile before, though the small expression he wears could never be called a smile on anyone else's face.

She allows Max to take the girl from her, feeling careful hands brush against her arm and side as he takes her into both of his arms. He cradles her head gently, as though she might break. He looks reverently down at her, but the expression he aims at Furiosa is unreadable. She clears her throat.

"There's room for you here, if you'd like to stay a couple days?"

"Mmm."

It's as close to a yes as she thinks she'll get. It's not a promise to stay this time, but it's enough.


End file.
